U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,428, issued Dec. 13, 1983 to Ravi K. Varma, describes steroids having topical antiinflammatory activity, and having the formula ##STR2## and the 1,2-dehydro and 6,7-dehydro derivatives thereof, wherein R.sub.a and R.sub.b are the same or different and each is alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, R.sub.c is carbonyl, .beta.-hydroxymethylene or .beta.-acetyloxymethylene, R.sub.d is hydrogen or halogen, and R.sub.e is hydrogen, methyl, hydroxy, alkanoyl, alkanoyloxy or halogen.
The above patent also describes intermediates having the formula ##STR3## and the 1,2-dehydro derivatives thereof, wherein the symbols are as described above.